June 27th 2011
It had been a couple of weeks since Alexa's first failed attempt to face her fear with Darren, and she had repeated the same process more times than she could count since. If he was getting impatient with her then he was hiding it well; he had been nothing but supportive and continued to encourage her.
She had grown closer to Colby and Jon, spending most of her time with them when they weren't busy. She had also started to become really good friends with some of the girls; Darren was pleased that she was no longer being so anti-social, telling her it was helping to re-build her confidence.
''Lex, hurry the fuck up!" Shaul's shriek invaded her thoughts.
''Simmer down, I'm coming!" She shouted back.
Alexa had received a text from Phil earlier, telling her that she had to watch the show tonight. The questioning reply she had sent had been left unanswered, much to her annoyance. She had hoped to be able to watch it from the comfort of her sofa, but the show was starting in a few minutes and she was still at the FCW building.
She quickly shoved her hair up into a sloppy bun before exiting the locker room and making her way to the small lounge area they had set up. She dropped down into the seat next to the younger woman, lifting her legs and resting them on her lap. Both women's eyes were fixed on the screen as Raw kicked off, watching as Shawn Michaels strutted down to the ring.
Alexa had missed a lot while she had been out. Shortly after her injury, the WWE had introduced the new PG rating. Personally, she wasn't a fan and the only positive she could see was that she wouldn't have to compete in bra and panties matches when she returned.
A lot of people had either left or had been released; Jeff Hardy, Carlito, Batista, Shane Helms, Matt Hardy, Maria Kannelis, Chavo Guerrero, Mickie James and Victoria. Adam had announced his retirement months ago after Wrestlemania, he had been heartbroken.
It was really hard; knowing that when, not if, she returned, that a lot of the people she had known and been friends with were gone.
The women's division had also changed drastically since she had been gone. The historic Women's Championship had been moved into retirement and had been replaced by the Diva's Championship. Alexa absolutely hated the term 'Diva', why didn't they just call them 'Superstars' like they did with the men? It was one thing to distinguish between the genders, it is another to treat them like second-class citizens. The company line was that they were using the dictionary term for diva, referring to a 'highly talented female performer'. But she sill thought it was a load of bull.
''Lex!"
Her head snapped to the side, her eyes looking at Shaul questioningly. ''What?''
''I asked where Jon was.'' She laughed.
''How the hell should I know?'' Alexa's brow furrowed in confusion.
''Please, you two have practically been attached at the hip lately.'' Shaul raised an eyebrow at her friend. ''Although, I bet you'd prefer to be attached by something else.''
''Shaul!" She buried her face in her hands as the other woman cackled beside her. ''And to think, you used to be such a sweet little girl...''
''Don't try and change the subject, I know you like him.''
''Of course I do, he's a great guy.'' Alexa said, rolling her eyes at Shaul's raised eyebrow. ''Just drop it, please.''
''Okay... but only if you admit that you think he's cute.''
''He's not cute... he's hot.'' She admitted with a small grin, before frowning when the other woman glanced over her shoulder and snorted.
''Who's hot?''
Alexa turned around to find Jon standing behind her, arms crossed over his chest and a smirk on his face. ''Uh...'' She turned and her eyes fell on the television screen. ''The Miz...''
''Yeah, she was just saying how he'd totally get it, right Lex?'' Shaul goaded.
Jon didn't look convinced and just sunk down on the seat beside her. ''Really? Dude looks like a frog.''
Alexa cocked her head to the side as she studied the man on the screen. ''He kind of does...''
''What up, bitches!" Colby cried as he suddenly came running into the room, jumped over the couch and landing across the three of them. ''Fuck!"
Unfortunately for him, Alexa had decided to shift her position at the same time he landed, causing her knee to hit a rather sensitive area.
April and Ettore walked into the room just as he rolled off them and onto the floor, cupping himself with his hands. ''I'm not even going to ask.'' She said, shaking her head as she took a seat across from them.
Ettore pumped his hands up and down in the air as he leaned against the wall. ''Choc Lesnar has arrived!"
''I'm never going to live that down, am I?'' Alexa groaned, face-palming.
''I'm thinking of using it as my new ring name.''
Alexa hushed everyone as they laughed, seeing Punk appear on the screen. After interfering in John Cena's match, he grabbed a mic and sat down at the top of the ramp.
''John Cena, while you lay there, hopefully as uncomfortable as you possibly can be, I want you to listen to me. I want you to digest this, because before I leave in three weeks with your WWE Championship, I have a lot of things I wanna get off my chest.''
There was a mixture of boos and cheers from the crowd before he continued.
''I don't hate you, John. I don't even dislike you. I like you a hell of a lot more than I like most people in the back. I hate this idea that you're the best... because you're not. I'm the best. I'm the best in the world. There's one thing you're better at than I am... and that's kissing Vince McMahon's ass... You're as good at kissing Vince's ass as Hulk Hogan was. I don't know if you're as good as Dwayne... he's a pretty good ass-kisser... always was and still is. Oops... I'm breaking the fourth wall.''
Alexa's eyes widened as she watched her friend wave to the camera that had been on him, a sarcastic smile on his face.
''I am the best... wrestler... in the world. I've been the best ever since Day One when I walked into this company, and I've been vilified and hated since that day because Paul Heyman saw something in me that nobody else wanted to admit. That's right, I'm a Paul Heyman guy. You know who else was a Paul Heyman guy? Brock Lesnar... and he split, just like I'm splittin', but the biggest difference between me and Brock is that I'm going to leave with the WWE Championship.''
''I've grabbed so many of Vincent K. McMahon's imaginary brass rings that it's finally dawned on me that they're just that. They're completely imaginary. The only thing that's real is me, and the fact that day in and day out, for almost six years, I've proved to everybody in the world that I am the best on this microphone, in that ring, and even on commentary. Nobody can touch me. And yet, no matter how many times I prove it... I'm not on your lovely little collectors' cups, I'm not on the cover of the program, I'm barely promoted, I don't get to be in movies, I'm certainly not on any crappy show on the USA Network, I'm not on the poster of WrestleMania, I'm not on the signature that's produced at the start of the show.''
''I'm not on Conan O'Brian, I'm not on Jimmy Fallon, but the fact of the matter is I should be, and trust me, this isn't sour grapes, but the fact that "Dwayne" is in the main event of WrestleMania next year and I'm not makes me sick!''
''Is this a work?'' Jon asked from beside her.
Alexa shook her head, her eyes taking in Phil's angry expression and John's unsure one from his position down in the ring. ''No, I don't think so...''
''Oh hey, let me get something straight, those of you who are cheering me right now... you are just as big a part of me leaving as anyone else, because you're the ones sipping out of those collector cups right now, you're the ones that buy those programs that my face isn't on the cover of, and then at five in the morning at the airport, you try to shove it in my face so you can get an autograph and sell it on eBay because you're too lazy to get a real job... I'm leaving with the WWE championship on July 17th and hell, who knows, maybe I'll go defend it in New Japan Pro Wrestling... maybe I'll go back to Ring of Honor...''
He turned to the camera again, giving another wave.
''Hey, Colt Cabana, how you doing? The reason I'm leaving is you people because after I'm gone you're still going to pour money into this company - I'm just a spoke on the wheel - the wheel's gonna keep turning. And I understand that... that Vince McMahon's going to make money despite himself... he's a millionaire who should be a billionaire... you know why he's not a billionaire? It's because he surrounds himself with glad-handing nonsensical douche-bag yes-men, like John Lauranitis, who's gonna tell him everything he wants to hear... and I'd like to think that maybe this company will be better after Vince McMahon is dead, but the fact is it's gonna get taken over by his idiotic daughter and his doofus son-in-law and the rest of his stupid family.''
''Let me tell you a personal story about Vince McMahon. You know we do this whole ani-bullying campaign...''
His mic was suddenly cut off and he stood up angrily, shouting to the camera that he couldn't be silenced.
''Hey fuckface... what's going on?''
''You watched?''
It had been over an hour since Phil had dropped his epic 'pipebomb' and Alexa had only just managed to get in touch with him. She was in the training room, lying in near-darkness in the middle of the ring as she held the phone up to her ear.
''Yeah, dude, I watched.'' She confirmed. ''What's going on?''
''I don't even fucking know anymore.'' Phil heaved out a sigh on the other end. ''My contracts up in a couple of weeks and you know I've been unhappy for a while... Tonight, Vince said I could 'air my grievances' but that I had to run them by him first I knew the fucker wouldn't let me say everything I wanted to, so I gave him a sheet of paper with talking points that were different from what I actually said.''
''Yeah, I guessed that when they cut you off...''
''Everyone backstage agrees with me, Lex. When I walked past this gigantic group of people who were all waiting at the bottom of the stairs in Gorilla to see me coming out. I walked out and got to see everyone's legit reaction. It wasn't like, "Oh, he's coming," stone-faced. I walked behind people, and they had their hands on their heads, eyes wide open, looking around like, "Did you hear that?". If I can do that with employees... just think of what I did with the live audience... You haven't been around, you don't know what it's like...''
''You think you have it so bad... try being a woman in this business, Phil. People see the 'Diva's' matches as nothing more than a bathroom break. The few women left in the company who have actual in-ring ability, are underrated, underutilized and are frequently passed over in favour of the models... the division's a sinking ship.'' She told him angrily. ''You have no fucking idea...''
''Lex-''
''You used to be my hero, Phil... the CM Punk... the Phil... that I've known for years wouldn't give a shit that he didn't have the belt... that he wasn't on any programs or collector cups or any of that other meaningless bullshit... All he ever wanted to do, was wrestle in front of those people...'' Alexa swallowed, feeling her voice start to crack as she carried on. ''I'm your friend, I love you and I'll always be here for you... but you've changed, you're not him anymore... you're nothing more than a glory hunter.'' She ended the call before he could respond, letting out a loud sigh as she threw it across the ring.
''That was a bit harsh.'' A husky voice cut through the darkness, before the lights flickered to life.
''Yeah, well, truth hurts.'' She muttered, feeling the ring shake as he climbed in. ''What do you want, anyway?''
Jon dropped down to lay beside her. ''Steve asked me to tell you that Paul's stopping by tomorrow for your meeting.''
Alexa groaned. ''Fantastic... Well, you better make the most of your time with me, I'll probably be gone soon.''
''What are you talking about?''
''My contracts up pretty soon and I doubt they'll want me to re-sign.'' She told him, immediately feeling him shift beside her. Looking over, she found he was sitting up and staring at her. ''What?''
''You don't even seem to care...'' Jon shook his head and let out a humourless laugh. ''I've watched your old matches and listened to interviews that you've done and you can see the passion you have for this. Where's that gone, huh? I don't give out compliments lightly - but you're good, really good, better than a lot of the guys!'' He rose to his feet and she watched as he paced around the ring. ''Watching that sparring footage with Darren a couple of weeks ago just proved how talented you are... you're probably technically better than a lot of the guys I've been in the ring with... I know it sucks balls that women's wrestling isn't taken seriously, but how are you planning on changing that perception if you just give up? You were born to wrestle...'' He stopped in front of her and held out a hand.
Alexa latched on to it, allowing him to pull her to her feet before speaking softly. ''You said I was damaged.''
''I didn't say it was a bad thing, sweetheart.'' He smiled down at her. ''Damaged people are dangerous... they know they can survive.''
''I doubt I'll survive if I fall and break my neck again.'' She muttered sarcastically before realizing that she had just made a joke out of her injury for the first time since it happened.
He snorted and turned her around to face the corner, keeping both hands on her shoulders as he spoke into her ear. ''Now, you're going to climb your sweet ass up to that top rope and hit me with that corkscrew thing, okay?''
Alexa sighed and moved into the corner, glancing over her shoulder to find he had already laid himself out in the perfect position for her to land the move. She stepped through the ropes, pausing on the other side and peering down at him. ''You do realize that I haven't actually done this move in nearly three years?''
''I trust you.''
Instinctively, her feet started to climb slowly up the rungs as her mind was floored by his declaration. The man barely knew her, yet he was completely trusting her to land a move that could seriously injure them both if it wasn't executed properly. His belief in her was mind-blowing but it seemed gave her the push she needed because, before she knew it, she was stood in a crouched position on the top rope.
Jon watched as she stood stock-still for a few moments, before he tentatively spoke. ''So... you just going to stay there all night?''
Alexa chewed on her bottom lip and looked down at him nervously, her grip tightening on the ropes as she tried to keep herself steady. ''I'm not sure if I can do it.''
''You can.'' He told her confidently. ''It's like riding a bike... you never forget.''
''I never learned how to ride a bike in the first place, so that's a bit redundant.'' She shot back with a wry smile.
Jon propped himself up on his elbows as he stared up her incredulously. ''You've never ridden a bike?"
''I was more interested in learning how to do a body slam.''
He let out a laugh. ''You're so weird.''
''...sorry.''
''That was a compliment.'' Jon smirked as he flattened his body back down on the mat. ''Come on, I haven't got all night.''
Alexa scowled at him before she closed her eyes, mentally psyching herself up. In her mind, she knew she could do this. She had already conquered the biggest fear, which was being on the top rope... all she had to do now was stand up and jump. Statistically, she knew it was unlikely that she would fall again. In all of her years of wrestling, she had only ever fallen from the top that one time, even when she was first training. It was a freak accident.
A freak accident that would continue to control her life if she didn't do this.
Letting out a breath she hadn't even known she was holding in, she slowly let go of the ropes and extended her legs. Before she knew what was going on, her feet had pushed from the ropes and she was flying through the air. Jon let out a soft grunt as she landed on him and his hand came up to rest on Alexa's back as a relieved laugh spilled from her lips.
They remained like that for a few minutes before Jon chuckled and his raspy voice broke the silence. ''Enjoy being on top, do you, sweetheart?''
She tilted her head to meet his eyes with a playful glare. ''Must you cheapen the moment?''
''...Yeah.''